A Season for Renewal: Lessons and Flavors of the High Holy Days
It feels as though summer flew by! I hope your warmer months were filled with joy, connection, and family. As September arrives and Labor Day signals the transition into autumn, it brings the anticipation of the Jewish High Holy Days.
These sacred holidays mark a profound period of reflection, renewal, and hope. Beginning with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and culminating ten days later with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), this time invites us all to slow down, examine our path, and embrace a fresh start.
While rooted in Jewish tradition, the underlying themes resonate universally. Much like the Christian season of Lent or Islam’s holy month of Ramadan, these traditions center on self-reflection, spiritual rebirth, and the timeless practice of gathering around the table with loved ones.
The Traditional Foods of the Season
Rosh Hashanah | Crisp Apple Slices with Honey | A wish for a sweet, hopeful new year. |
Rosh Hashanah | Round Braided Challah | The continuous, unending cycle of life and seasons. |
Yom Kippur | Golden Bagels & Smoked Salmon, Tuna and Egg Salads. | Gentle, easy-to-digest comfort food to break the 25-hour fast. |
A few cherished staples always grace our traditional Rosh Hashanah table. Dr. B loves preparing his Grandma Rosie’s classic Matzo Ball Soup—adding all of his grandmother’s special touches—while I always look forward to making my mother’s Sweet Noodle Kugel, a favorite recipe I’ve shared in the past.
Depending on your family’s eating style, these traditional favorites—alongside round challah and apples dipped in honey—are typically paired with a main dish of fish, plant-based entrees, fresh vegetables, and seasonal fruit.
Sweet Noodle Kugel & Vegan/Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup
This year, I invite you to try my sweet noodle kugel and give my Vegan/Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup recipe below a try! With a few special plant-based tweaks, it captures all the rich, comforting depth of the traditional version, whether you use classic eggs or the vegan option for your matzo balls.
May this season inspire all of us to extend forgiveness, embrace new beginnings, and share sweet moments around the table. L’Shanah Tovah—wishing you and your loved ones a healthy, happy, and sweet new year!
To a Healthy, Happy & Sweet Year Ahead,
Melissa
Healthy Lifestyle Advocate
Chef, Author & Artist
Vegetarian/Vegan Matzo Ball Soup with a Few Twists
Equipment
- 2 Dutch oven 8+ quarts for soup and 6-8 quart pot for making matzo balls
- 1 Emulsifier blender, regular blender or food processor
Ingredients
Traditional Matzo Balls
- 1 package Matzo meal ball
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable or avocado oil
- 1 tsp Dill, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Sea salt More to taste
Matzo Balls (Vegan)
- 1 cup Matzo meal
- 4 Tbsp Seltzer water Sparkling water creates extra fluffiness
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable or avocado oil
- 3 Tbsp Unsweetened silken tofu, well blended or commercial egg replacer, Aqufaba or Just Eggs works
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Golden Soup Broth (vegetarian/vegan)
- 8 cups Vegetable broth (or water) or 2 cartons (low sodium) veggie broth or Better than Bouillon mixed with 8 cups of water
- 2 large Carrots Leave whole
- 2 ribs Celery Cut in half to fit in pot
- 2 medium Yellow sweet onions Quartered
- 2 medium Parsnips *this is her secret root vegetable to add to the soup 🙂
- 1 cup Fresh dill, chopped
- 2 Leeks Cleaned and cut in half to fit in the pot
- 1/2 bunch Parsley
- Salt and pepper To taste
Instructions
- Note: If you are making the traditional packaged Matzo Ball Mix, it makes 9-12 balls based on the size you roll them.
- Mix Matzo Batter – Vegetarian/Vegan
- In a bowl, whisk together the blended silken tofu, neutral oil, and seltzer water.
- Stir in matzo meal, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- On low heat, let simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Form and cook matzo balls: With wet hands, shape the chilled matzo mixture into one-inch balls.
- Drop them gently into the simmering broth. Cover tightly with a lid and cook on low for 30 minutes without opening the lid.
Golden Soup Broth
- Prep all the vegetables. Place vegetable stock in a large stockpot and then add the carrots, celery, parsnip, leeks, onion, parsley, and dill. Bring to a boil, then lower the temp to a simmer and cook for one hour until all vegetables are soft.
- Remove half of the cooked vegetables (except for the leeks as they make the soup green!) from the soup. Place them in a separate bowl to puree.
- Puree those separated vegetables to desired consistency, then return to the vegetable stock.
- Add finished Matzo balls to the Golden Soup Broth. Cook for 15-20 mins.
- Ladle hot soup and matzo balls into bowls.
- Top generously with fresh chopped dill or garnishes before serving.
